DALLAS -- The Suns had gone without a close shave for a while, whether it be on their playoff-aspiration beards or any game scoreboard.

Losing another one Saturday night puts the Suns closer to missing the playoffs by a whisker.

The Texas Two-Misstep has ripped control of their destiny away from the Suns after they blew a double-digit halftime lead for a second consecutive night. Dallas clinched a playoff spot by staving off a late Suns rally for a 101-98 victory at American Airlines Center.

"We lost the most important game of the season," Suns guard Goran Dragic said.

The Suns (47-33) dropped to a league-worst 2-9 in games decided by three points or fewer this season, although it was only the second one in the past 42 games. The Suns led by 13 four minutes into the second half but failures to matchup on top Mavericks shooters Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki opened the door and a 1-for-11 Suns shooting stretch nearly knocked them out despite another spectacular effort from Eric Bledsoe and a gutty try from Dragic, who was hobbled by a sprained ankle.

The Suns trailed 99-91 with 2:25 to play but Bledsoe led a 7-0 rally that nearly tied the game, if not for his missed free throw with 52.7 seconds to go. With Monta Ellis missing two free throws down the stretch, the Suns had two chances to tie on a Bledsoe drive that was blocked by Brandan Wright with 12.9 seconds to go and a Markieff Morris 3-pointer that missed against Wright's challenge at the end.

The loss left the locker room lifeless even though the season is still not hopeless. If the Suns beat Memphis at home Monday and win at Sacramento on Wednesday, they can make the playoffs if the Grizzlies also either lose tonight at the Los Angeles Lakers or Wednesday at home against Dallas.

Try telling that to a Suns room of blank stares in folding chairs.

"It super sucks," said Suns power forward Channing Frye, who broke a 3-point slump with four first-quarter 3s to put Phoenix ahead. "We worked our asses off this year. We don't like this feeling."

Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis (11) and his team celebrate the win over the Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 101-98 and clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs.(Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

The Suns surrendered control in the third quarter defensively for a second consecutive night, allowing a 14-3 run when Ellis hit two transition 3-pointer as part of his 37-point game and Nowitzki followed with consecutive 3s.

"Halftime leads don't mean anything to veteran teams with All-Stars," Suns power forward Markieff Morris said after losing 13-point halftime lead at San Antonio and an 11-point lead at Dallas.

After a two-point first half, Nowitzki scored 21 in the second half while the Suns shot 32.5 percent. Ellis scored 23 in the second half, including a drive off a deflected inbound for a 99-91 lead with 2:25 to go. Bledsoe turned determined again, a night after matching his career scoring high (30) and coming with an assist of a triple-double.

He scored five on a 7-0 Suns run that included his steal of an Ellis kickback pass. When he missed a free throw to keep him from a third 30-point game in nine days, the Suns trailed 99-98 with 52.7 seconds to go. Vince Carter missed a 3-pointer and Bledsoe threw ahead to Gerald Green, who missed a go-ahead pull-up jumper.

The led to the Ellis free-throw trips and Bledsoe's blocked layup, on which the Suns felt he was bumped, and a 3 designed for Markieff because they felt Dallas would overplay Frye. Markieff had not made a shot since the first quarter.

Dragic said he played at 35-40 percent on the left ankle that he sprained Wednesday and kept him out Friday at San Antonio.

"It's tough," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "We told them that all we can do is try to win these last two games and maybe something happens. It's probably not likely but you never know. Our guys are pretty down. They had two great efforts these last two games.

"That's how we've been all year with ups and downs and runs. It's a tough way to lose these two games. To their credit, they battled every minute of both games."

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Key moment: Leading 69-56 midway through the third quarter, the Suns allowed a 14-3 run with four 3-poitners by Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki.

Key number: 2-9 The Suns' record this season in games decided by three points or fewer.

View from press row: On a lighter note, Dallas had a timeout video with a commercial spoof for a "Matrix Training System." It was a contraption that went over a person's head and upper body to put the shooting arm in the awkward release position that Shawn Marion uses. It even came with a shooting glove designed with how Marion's left pinky finger is dislocated out. Marion was sensitive about his unique shot throughout his career so it was good to see Marion participate in the bit.